Tight End Brandon Pettigrew Signs 4-Year, $16 Million Deal With Lions

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 16: Tight end Brandon Pettigrew #87 of the Detroit Lions is tackled by free safety Matt Elam #26 of the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at Ford Field on December 16, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. The Ravens defeated the Lions 18-16. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 16: Tight end Brandon Pettigrew #87 of the Detroit Lions is tackled by free safety Matt Elam #26 of the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at Ford Field on December 16, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. The Ravens defeated the Lions 18-16. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The New York Jets and Oakland Raiders were also reported to have interest in Pettigrew, whom Detroit drafted in 2009.

Last season Pettigrew played in 14 games and caught 41 passes for 416 yards. In addition to his receiving abilities, Pettigrew is known as an excellent blocker.

Pettigrew frustrated fans with four fumbles in 2012, and in 2013 quarterback Matthew Stafford targeted Pettigrew just 64 times, compared to 100 times the previous season. Nevertheless, it proved to be a fairly redemptive 2013.

Fellow tight end Joseph Fauria snagged 18 passes – 14 of which were first downs, including seven touchdowns – for the Detroit in 2014. If Lions had wanted to obtain a tight end from the draft instead of keeping Pettigrew, the team could have gone for Eric Ebron, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end who played his college ball at North Carolina.